Millers Can't Spoil Party

Bristol City clinched promotion today against already relegated Rotherham United at Ashton Gate with a brace from David Noble in the first half.

Team captain, Louis Carey passed a late fitness test which enabled him to start today and make his five hundredth appearance for City. David Noble scored his first home goal of the season after seven minutes and followed it up with his and City`s second just before half-time. Alex Russell finished the scoring for the home team and despite a headed goal from the Millers Marc Newsham, City took the points to secure their promotion to The Championship.

Nobles first goal came after his original shot was blocked by Stephen Brogan but the rebound went back to him and he volleyed the ball into the top of the goal leaving Neil Cutler flapping. City could have been two up four minutes later when Brian Wilson just missed and the visitors could have squared it up when Marc Newsham headed just wide after the Millers first attack. Ian Henderson had a shot parried away by Adriano Basso and Newsham found himself unmarked but headed just wide before Noble ran onto a pass from Russell and slid the ball under Cutler.

The second half started for the Millers with Nat Kerr coming on for Craig Fleming who was suffering with an injury. But Russell sealed promotion for City when he volleyed the ball past the helpless Cutler from close range. Rotherham`s goal came from a Brogan free-kick and it looked like Henderson would score but up popped Marc Newsham to silence over nineteen thousand fans. The Millers had a couple of other chances but Ashton Gate roared when referee Mr Russell blew the final whistle.

Mark Robins had wanted his team to go out on a high today - to be honest, it was more like a damp squib. But the Millers manager knows that he has a busy summer ahead of him and knows that he has to re-build for the long hard slog in the lowest division next season.